PARISH ADMINISTRATION

 

​INTRODUCTION

​This presentation addresses how Parish Administration can fulfil the mission of the Church to sanctify God's people. The cooperation of each member of the parish community is essential if the parish is to fulfil its mission potential.

​PURPOSE OF PARISH ADMINISTRATION

​The purpose of Parish Administration is to fulfil the Mission of the Church.

​THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

​The Mission of the Church is to evangelise by bringing God's love to all people through the teaching, sanctifying and ruling offices of the Church while paying attention to the integral development of the person as a whole.

​ACTIVITIES

​Teaching or Prophetic Office of the Church (Canons nn. 747-803)

​Canon n. 747 states, "It is the obligation and inherent right of the Church, independent of any human authority, to preach the Gospel to all peoples, using for this purpose even its own means of social communication; for it is to the Church that Christ the Lord entrusted the deposit of faith, so that by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, it might conscientiously guard revealed truth, more intimately penetrate it, and faithfully proclaim and expound it."

​The teaching office of the Church includes the following activities:

​- Preaching the Gospel to all peoples, especially through the homily, which is part of the liturgy.

​- Proclaiming moral principles, even in respect of the social order, and making judgements about any human matter in so far as this is required by fundamental human rights or the salvation of souls (Canon n. 747.2).

​- Proclaiming Christian doctrine using all available means.

​- Arranging for sermons in the form of retreats and missions or in other forms adapted to requirements (Canon n. 770).

​- Preaching the Word of God to the faithful who, because of the circumstances of their lives, cannot sufficiently avail themselves of the ordinary pastoral care or are even totally deprived of it (Canon n. 771.1).

​Bringing the good news of the Gospel to those who are non-believers, since these too, no less than the faithful, must be included in the care of souls (Canon n. 771.2).

​Giving catechetical formation by employing all those aids, educational resources and means of communication which seem the more effective in securing that the faithful, according to their character, capability, age and circumstances of life, may be more fully steeped in Catholic teaching and prepared to put it into practice (Canon n. 779).

​Promoting Catholic education for children and young people, especially through Catholic schools. Children and young persons are to be cared for in such a way that their physical, moral and intellectual talents may develop harmoniously.